Glass bottles – a weighty issue
The weight of wine bottles is an ever-trending topic among winemakers, retailers, producers, distributors, glass manufacturers and supply chain departments. We’re also seeing wine influencers and writers highlight wine bottle weights in their reviews, bringing the topic further to the consumer agenda. Retailers are also actively seeking out more information on the topic and making moves to specify lighter weight bottles to their suppliers.
The more glass bottles weigh, the more they cost to produce and transport and the higher their CO2 emissions. Within the industry, it’s acknowledged that more needs to be done to bring down the weight of wine bottles in a bid to reduce emissions and energy consumption, carbon footprint and make the whole supply chain kinder to the planet. But how can this be tackled in a way that maintains the integrity and product quality of wine, whilst ensuring it doesn’t have a negative impact on sales or brand reputation.
While the traditional 750ml glass bottle has been the standardised receptacle for centuries, its weight (global average 550g) and its environmental impact, carbon footprint, production and handling are under continuous scrutiny and the whole industry is under pressure to bring down bottle weights for still wine.
Consumer perceptions and winemaker preferences
Consumers aren’t always aware of the weight of glass bottles and there is a general perception that the heavier the bottle, the higher the quality of the wine and that a shorter bottle on shelf means a lower end wine. Consumers also tend to associate a taller bottle with higher quality.
These perceptions are also shared by some wine producers as they pitch their wines at a certain price point, feel that a heavier bottle is synonymous with quality, and also have concerns about breakages with lighter weight bottles.
In fact, the main purpose of the bottle is to ensure the safe storage and transportation of the wine inside. It’s time to challenge the perception that a heavier bottle signals a higher quality wine.
Research has been done into this, asking consumers and retailers and reviewing if the weight of the bottle has an impact on sales. The outcome was that sales do drop if a wine is not in the right bottle for the product, the price point and the liquid quality, so the main takeaway is to get the bottle right for the product. In addition, it was highlighted that consumers want to do their bit for the environment so are happy with a lighter bottle if it reduces impact on the planet.
Bottle weight goals
Last year, during the Sustainable Wine Round Table, an agreement was made by key UK wine retailers and supermarkets to reduce their average 750ml still wine bottle weight to less than 420g by the end of 2026.
Dave Wardell, procurement manager says: “This is a realistic, achievable target but we feel the industry can go further. At Kingsland Drinks, we are at the forefront when it comes to sustainability in wine and glass bottle weight reduction. We have been ahead of the game for many years as we understand the value in using lighter weight bottles. Our current average wine bottle weight is between 330g to 400g and this brings us and our customers significant cost savings, logistics improvements, lower emissions, energy savings and an overall smaller carbon footprint.
“We’re working closely with our partner producers, brands and retailers to focus on ‘right weighting’ – ensuring each wine is bottled, packaged and shipped in the most environmentally and economically practical way for that individual product.”
Save, save, save
Glass bottles are an important part of a wine’s carbon footprint and even reducing the weight of the bottle a little can have a significant impact. With a lighter weight bottle, the energy saving is substantial right across the board – lighter glass bottles require less raw material, are lighter to transport and result in much lower carbon emissions. Plus, the use of cullet (recycled glass) allows furnaces to operate at a lower temperature.
It’s also a consideration for producers, suppliers, bottlers and fillers where they source their glass from. Sourcing and shipping bottles from distant places such as China may seem like a cost saving in the short term, but the CO2 emissions, carbon footprint and transportation costs will certainly mount up over time.
Wardell says: “We source much of our glass locally as we’re lucky to have multiple reliable, reputable glass suppliers, not only in the UK, but within a 50-mile radius of our site in Salford. In fact, a lot of our suppliers are local, from paper and cardboard to glass bottles and cans, all of which help to reduce emissions during the whole supply chain.”
Money savings and business economies can also influence decisions to adopt lighter weighted or recycled glass bottles for wine – and these savings can keep prices down for the consumer.
Raising the glass – action from Kingsland Drinks
Shannon Appleton, environment officer at Kingsland Drinks, says: “The weight of bottles and where we source them from is high on our agenda with our environmental, procurement, technical and lab teams working in collaboration to ensure we don’t rest on our laurels. There’s always more to be done.
“Some of our ongoing initiatives include increasing our recycled glass content, monitoring and auditing suppliers on how their furnaces are powered and emission conversions, rigorous testing on pressure points, impact, thresholds, production lines and handling. We know breakage will occur if a wine is not in the right bottle so for us, it’s an area we review constantly on an individual product basis.
“We have customers, both winemaker side and retailer side, that specify a lighter weight bottle so our job is to test at every level of the supply chain to ensure it completes its journey and is enjoyed by the consumer in perfect condition.”
- Since 2020, 73% of the 750ml wine bottles we have used have been 350g or below
- 88% of bottles we used in last year by volume were sourced in the UK
- 73% of all bottles sourced from within 30 miles of the plant
- 100% of corrugated cases were sourced from with 35 miles of the plant.
Appleton continues: “Thanks to our focus on sustainability and our in-depth supplier audits, many of our wine brands and partners are already working hard to reduce the weight of wine bottles brought into the UK. Andrew Peace Wines, one of Australia’s largest wine exporters, has always specified lighter weight bottles than typical for Aussie wines – currently being packed into 396g and 404g bottles.
“A partnership between Hidden Sea wines (Australian sustainable wine brand) and Aldi has seen a new product land on shelf in lighter weight bottles, with liquid shipped from source and bottled here in the UK. A great example of how a quality wine product can be produced, shipped, bottled, merchandised and sold with consideration for reductions in carbon emissions at every step of the supply chain process.”
We also work with many retailers to bring in wines from around the world, including European countries such as Spain and Moldova, into the UK, which gives our customers access to the wide range of packaging options we offer. From Spain, we source, bottle and pack the Campaneo wine range, with two reds packed at the winery, and two bottled whites and bag in box formats packed here in the UK.
Alternative lifestyles
Alternative formats for wine is a growing area in the UK and Europe with both retailers and consumers switching onto wines in the bag-in-box (BIB) format, thanks to its recyclability, affordability, and longer lasting wine. New consumers to the bag-in-box category realise the positives in terms of convenience, freshness and quality, and there’s real appetite for formats that offer environmental and sustainability benefits. We have seen growth in bag in box wines over the last few years and developments in pack sizes, such as the introduction of more premium 1.5L BIBs, will continue to resonate with more consumers.
Cans are also a great vessel for wine – they have an “infinite recyclability” and consumers are typically very used to recycling cans at home. Cans have worked their way into the mainstream in terms of RTDs and cocktails, and while wine in a can is growing in popularity, it is less widely available than other canned drinks, so is yet to edge into mainstream. However, consumers are very aware of the benefits of cans versus plastic or glass bottles, and canned wine is becoming more readily available across the UK and Europe. As retailers and the on-trade develop a larger range of wine in cans, consumer acceptance will likely grow.
Shannon Appleton says: “We have always made it a priority to continually improve the sustainability of our products. Physical improvements such as corrugate improvements, the use of new fluting, which provides same level of protection for the product while reducing the number of material pallets required, thus reducing number of vehicles on the road, and developments in bag-in-box technology are examples of this. But we are also aware that the downstream effects of our activities are just as important. We have removed harmful and unnecessary plastics from the materials we use in packaging, and we are forging partnerships with growers and brands that place sustainability at the forefront of their operations. We are in the process of distributing our own Supplier Sustainability Questionnaire, which will allow us to assess our supplier partners and ensure their sustainability credentials are in line with our own.
“Our bag-in box supplier is also currently working on bags/taps that will be fully recyclable at home for convenience, as currently this part of a BIB is only recyclable through supermarket soft plastics recycling.”
In summary
Appleton concludes: “We’re expecting even more developments and priority placed on wine bottle weights, as well as alternative formats. Expect to see more canned wines, bag in box wines, paper-based bottles, and light-weight glass on shelf in the very near future.
“The movement will continue towards a 300g bottle, glass manufacturing will use even more recycled glass content, and furnaces may move to electric or hydrogen power. We expect a similar shift in consumer perception as we witnessed with screwcap wines, which are now fully acceptable and, in many cases, preferable by both producers, retailers and consumers. Lighter weight bottles are set to be become the norm, mainstream and accepted across the board as the push towards further sustainability and lower carbon emissions continues. If consumers demand lighter weight bottles with a lower carbon footprint, producers will have to act.
“Many multiple retail chains across the UK and Europe are now specifying lighter weight bottles for wine and imposing weight limits on their suppliers. We expect retailers and brands to invest further in communicating their sustainability credentials with a focus on every element of their production, sourcing, supply chains, partnerships and beyond from the outset to ensure sustainable decisions are made at every point in the production process.
“Finally, no type of packaging is the silver bullet in terms of sustainability. We need to get to a point as an industry where we can openly discuss the pros and cons of each packaging format and make the most educated and best decisions possible. This way, we can avoid any ‘greenwashing’, which can be a result of highlighting the benefits, without acknowledging the flaws.”
